PMS and Period Pain Are The Health Epidemic No One Is Talking About

Over 82% of women suffer from PMS and menstrual pain.

That's higher than the prevalence of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.

If you've ever asked your doctor about you cramps or PMS, chances are you've heard, "Well, that's just part of a normal period."

At Brazen, we've never thought that answer was good enough.

The truth is that, for most women, cramps and PMS don't have to be a monthly misery. We've worked with thousands of women to correct these common period problems. Let's take a look at the two most common period problems, and what you can do about them.

PMS

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is more than just feeling a little crazy before your period. PMS includes over 200 different symptoms, but the most common are irritability, breast tenderness, bloating, cravings, acne, irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness, fatigue, mood swings, headaches, changes in libido, and general stress. Sound familiar? Ugh!

What causes this special blend of suffering? PMS is caused by hormonal changes that occur at the end of your cycle. When this hormonal transition happens smoothly, most women don't experience any symptoms, but when hormones aren't balanced: whammo, PMS. Stress, tension, inflammation, diet, and digestive issues add to the mix, making this transition even worse.

There is hope, though. By improving hormone balance, and improving the body's overall response to the stress of a changing hormonal environment, PMS can be significantly decreased or eliminated. Brazen has spent decades helping women balance changing hormones, which improves your response to stress, leaving you feeling human again. Improving the underlying issues that contribute to PMS means you're not just masking the symptoms, but actually making positive, lasting changes for your body.

Menstrual Cramps

Cramps before and during your period are the worst. Cramping is the most common menstrual disorder and is believed to affect up to 90% of women. Cramping is the body's natural response to help discharge the old uterine lining before building a new lining in your next cycle. Just before your period starts, smooth muscle in the uterus contracts to cut off blood supply to the uterine lining. These contractions, or "cramps", continue until the old tissue is dispelled.

Why do some women have worse cramps than others? Imaging studies have shown that the thickness of the uterine lining is associated with the degree of cramping — the thicker the lining, the worse the cramps. If the uterine lining isn't completely discharged with each cycle, it thickens over time, causing clotting that is difficult to discharge. Discharging this stubborn lining results in intense cramping and will often be associated with large clotting that accompanies uterine blood.

Brazen has found that over time, it's possible to build a healthier uterine environment to reduce or eliminate cramping completely. The bottom line here is that you're not just stuck with terrible periods. You can change them. There is hope.

Also in Period Stuff for People with Periods

Are your worst period symptoms "just normal" or are they signs of bigger problems? We help you understand what a normal period is like and how you can ditch menstrual misery like PMS, cramps, bloating, migraines, and have a normal period that actually doesn't make you feel like you're gonna die.

It's 12am and your period is starting. You search the nightstand for your midol pm and it's not there. Quick, what do you do? Here are five all natural ways to decrease period pain that you can put to work right now to calm even your worst menstrual cramps.

If your period/PMS is so severe that you are experiencing blackouts and migraines, can't get out of bed, and have to miss school or work SOMETHING IS WRONG. These are not normal symptoms of a healthy menstruating woman, they indicate some kind of endocrine disruption that needs your attention! Stopping your period may improve your quality of life for the moment, but it is not going to solve the problem.